Whatever You Need: (A Chicago Mafia Syndicate) (Castaletta Book 2) (3 page)

Chapter 4

Demetri

"I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to go talk to Gino." Izabella glanced over her shoulder at me before she walked out of the large dining room. We didn't need anything nearly as big as Gino's back room where the family met for meetings and big dinner, but I wanted Marcus to feel comfortable. The fucker didn't know us, and bringing out to the house seemed like a bit much.

My phone buzzed as I moved to stand near a painting of the sea by the back wall. Charles DeSalls. The old timer was a good friend of Joe's that worked money laundering for us, but needed to be replaced. Joe wouldn't let me remove him just yet, but he was getting there. Charles never called with good news.

Never.

"This is D," I barked into the phone and checked my watch. Marcus had three minutes to get into the room, or the interview would be over before it began. The last thing I put up with was disrespect of my time.

"D, this is Charlie." His thick Italian accent poured from the phone. "I gotta a problem with those Dragos guys again. You know the ones, right?"

"Yes, Charles. Fix the problem like you're paid to do. It's getting damn old to have to clean up your shit all the time. You know this right? Joe's patience is running thin with you. A man of your age and stature should understand that. This isn't surprising right?"

"Yeah, I just need a little more time to deal with it. You guys know how these things go. I mean-"

"I don't fucking care what you have to do. Fix it, or I'll send Izabella to see you, Charles. Understand where I'm at with this." I glanced over my shoulder and nodded as two guys walked into the room. "I have to go. Stop pulling my chain. You're out of links."

Marcus was a big guy, muscled out and standing eye to eye with me. His bland head and tear-drop tattoo gave him the perfect appearance for the job. Most men shrunk in my presence, but I was glad to see him standing with his shoulders back, his chest pushed out a little, chin up like he found the idea of anyone fucking with him humorous. Me included. I didn't know who the smaller guy was, Russian from what I could tell. Covered in tattoos and long dark hair that needed a trim. The grimace on his face seemed to be permanent, but it didn't matter. I wasn't hiring for a beauty contest. 

"Sorry about that." I walked toward them and extended my hand to the bigger guy who had to be Marcus, and then his friend. "I'm Demetri DeMarco. My friends call me D, but seeing that you're strangers..." I forced a chuckle and lifted my hands. "Sit, please. You're my guests for the next few hours, though I expected only you, Marcus."

"This is Zak. He's my closest associate." Marcus nodded toward the smaller guy before taking his seat. "Thanks for meeting with us on such short notice."

"Pleasure is all mine." The way the two watched me should have been intimidating, though it didn't affect me in the slightest. Both men had been through some shit and taken a few lives from what I could tell. Good. That's exactly what we were looking for.

That and loyalty above everything else. 

"Drinks?" The waitress stopped beside us.

"Guys? What can Cynthia get you?" I lifted my eyebrow.

"Water," Zak responded. "With lemons, please, ma'am."

"I'll take a jack and coke. Double. On the rocks, please." Marcus leaned back in his seat and turned his attention back toward me. "Why am I here?"

"A man who likes to cut to the chase. I like it." I picked up the file I brought with me and handed it to Marcus. "We run a tight, small operation here in Chicago, but our reach is extensive. We work hard and we work a lot, but we're family. There's nowhere else I'd rather be than in the middle of this place surrounded by the only people I can trust. My syndicate."

"And you're the boss?" Zak asked. "The kingpin?"

"No. I'm the underboss. My employer is a longtime friend of my family, and it's his family that I've been integrated into. My older sister runs the shipping of goods, my cousin the trading we do in weaponry."

"And Izabella is your hit man?" Marcus lifted his eyebrow as a smirk tugged at his mouth.

I almost enjoyed the way his shoulders tightened as her sexy voice rose up behind me. I couldn't do anything but watch her transform like she always did when strangers were around. Fearless and sensual as fuck... I was turned on almost immediately.

"She is, and if you're not careful, she'll tap you out before you know what hit you." She winked at me as she teased our guests.

I shook my head as she walked around and dropped down into the seat next to me. Her tight black t-shirt and leather pants left my cock twitching, but watching the affect she had on other men left me a little edgy. Almost more than I was comfortable with.

"Izabella Castaletta, my new friends. She's our enforcer."

Izzy tilted her head to the side as she extended her hand. "Nice to meet you both. I hear you’re locked in the clutches of the dastardly Billy Turner."

Billy Turner. It was a name I hadn't heard for a while. Why hadn't she told me about Marcus being involved with Billy? I forced myself not to look over at her, and chided myself internally over not digging in a little deeper. She obviously had. Fuck me.

"We're hoping to soon be done with Billy." Marcus brushed his hand over his chest. "He's an old problem that keeps cropping up."

"We can help." I picked up my glass and took a quick sip. "We're looking to add another couple of good people to our narcotics ring. We've heard good things about you."

"From who?" Marcus locked gazed with me.

"Various sources." I smiled. "Let's just say that we're interested in talking partnership, but before we even began... let's get a few things out of the way."

"Of course." Marcus shifted his attention back to Izabella, who hadn't taken her eyes off of him yet. "See something you like?"

"You look like a good ride." She smiled sweetly.

"Izzy." I turned to give her a stern look. I didn't need these thugs getting the wrong idea. One of them tried to touch her, and I'd put a bullet between their eyes if she didn't. "Don't."

"Fine. No fun at all." She winked at Marcus and got up, walking toward the exit. "I'm going to find a basket of that warm, sticky garlic bread you like, D."

My eyes followed after her as my pulse increased. Damn her for fucking with me. She deserved a spanking, and yet both of us would enjoy that far too much. 

"Forgive her. She enjoys pushing my buttons almost as much as killing." I shook my head and sat my drink down.

Zak chuckled and patted his chest. "My wife used to do the same to me. It's her way of telling you that you're close to the fire, but you're not yet welcomed to reach out and warm yourself by it."

I smirked and let out a short sigh. Good. They understood without me having to shed blood for something as ridiculous as my jealousy. "That obvious, hm?"

"Only to a man who's been through it as well." Zak leaned forward and tapped the table. "Are you hoping that Marcus will join you here in Chicago or would you allow him to stay in New Orleans?"

"Here." I turned my attention back to Marcus. "We're very tight-nit as I mentioned moments before. We run everything from here. We raise our families together, eat dinner together and run the underbelly of half the United States from this hub. We're looking for another capo, not a lackey. That's what I'm offering you."

"And the few things you wanted to get out of the way?" Marcus lifted his eyebrow.

"We're old school syndicate. We have a power structure and much like the mobs in the early twenties, we play by those rules exclusively. We have people working for us in every possible outlet here in the city, helping to cover our activities and being paid handsomely to do so. You would have to be willing to leave your home, your friends and your family. If you come here, only you come."

"And if I'm married?" Marcus asked.

"You're not." I smirked. "The girl isn't welcomed. She's not the type of woman who would do well here. I promise."

Zak reached out and touched Marcus's chest. "That might be up for discussion. He's been with the same woman most of his life. If she's out, then I'm pretty sure he-"

"Fine." Marcus removed Zak's hand from him. "She needs a better life anyway. Tell me about the drug ring. Who would be in charge of it with me? Who would train me?"

"You alone would be in charge of it, and I would train you. If there are any places where I am lacking, then Marco, Joe's son will step in. He's brilliant, but a loose cannon." I tapped the table and glanced back up as Izabella walked in.

"You dogging my family again?" She sat down and offered a bowl of smoking hot bread to Marcus. "Call me Izzy."

"Right." He took it and grabbed a piece of bread before handing it to Zak. "When are we talking about, Demetri? I can't leave my girl to deal with Billy. He's too much. He's fucking sick, and has a hard-on for her as it is."

"In a week's time. No longer." I picked up my menu. "As I said, you get Billy to a contained location and call. I'll send Izabella down to take care of him, and no one will ever know where the shot came from."

"You're that good?" Marcus glanced over at Izzy, his breath catching in his chest by the sound of things. I honestly couldn't blame him.

Her gaze darkened. "The best."

"And where does Zak fit into this? I want him with me. He's a good man, and has lots of contacts in Russia." Marcus glanced over at Zak and visibly swallowed.

"He's welcomed to join you, but that would be your call entirely. We keep to our areas of specialty when possible, but as part of the Castaletta family, you might be called on to step in and assist in some other areas. You'd have to agree to that as well before joining us."

"I'm good with that. All of it." Marcus licked his fingers before wiping them on the napkin in front of him. "I'd like to meet Mr. Castaletta, seeing that joining the family would ultimately be answering to him. I'm good with you thus far, but I'm not working for a man that I can't respect."

"Excellent. I'll arrange something for tomorrow morning. Breakfast at his place." I motioned for the waitress to join them. "Let's talk money, rules of the house and punishment for leaking a word of any of this to anyone."

"Let's do." Marcus mumbled and picked up his menu.

He seemed exactly the type of guy we were looking for. I just needed to pick Izabella's brain on what additional research she'd done overnight to see if I was missing anything. I was more grateful for her than I cared to admit, even to myself.

The rest of the meal was going over the history of the ring and working through some of the logistics that seemed to plague every operation we were involved in. Marcus looked like a complete thug, but seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. As long as he kept his hands to himself, we'd be good.

No one would do worse than Freddy had with the drug ring, which was comforting and yet not. Something told me that with some of the life experiences that Marcus mentioned, that he would be a good guy to have on our side if the shit continued to hit the fan.

It would seem things were going to get a lot worse before they got better.  

Chapter 5

Izabella

Marcus Blaine was the just the kind of man we were looking for. His appearance screamed dominance, and yet his tone of voice and way he carried himself spoke of business and pride. By the time the conversation was over, I could tell that D was impressed with both him and his partner, Zak.

Relief settled over me as Marcus and Zak said their goodbyes and D walked them to the door. For some odd reason I almost felt like Freddy failing us was in part my fault.

"You want a glass of wine or a beer?" Demetri's deep voice pulled me from my thoughts and tantalized my thoughts with naughtiness.

"A beer would be good." I let out a soft sigh and sunk back into the large wooden chair that held me. "I like them."

"I do too. Only trials and tribulation will truly tell if we're making the right decision with them, but my gut says yes." He turned and walked to the door, speaking with one of the servers and chuckling low in his chest before walking back toward me.

What type of woman would eventually steal his heart? He belonged to me for the time being, but us loving each other from a distance wouldn't last forever. Soon he would realize how lonely life was... Soon I would too.

"What are you thinking about in that beautiful head of yours?" He sat down beside me and reached over to slide his hands over the top of mine. We belonged together. We always had.

"How much longer am I going to have to keep up this charade with Jonathan?" I pulled my hand from his slowly. The cop was a nice guy, and it hadn't taken too much to get him to agree to help us, or me rather, but I wasn't one for lovey-dovey bullshit, and something told me that Jonathan was. I stifled a smile at the thought of Edward being the same. The poor guy wanted love and yet he kept crawling in my bed hoping to find it. The bad thing was that he knew better.

"Not long." His dark eyes moved around my face, searching for something. "I spoke with your father this morning about it. We'll be looking for something in Jonathan's past that we can hold against him. If he hasn't made a mistake yet, then we'll set him up to make one now. Having him tied to you is good for the moment because we need some help with your mother's death, but we'll reroute his loyalty here shortly."

"Good." I reached up and took the beer the server offered me.

"You're not sleeping with him, are you?" D's favorite question for sure.

"Not yet, but it's coming quickly. He's infatuated with the idea of 'us' and thinks that I am as well."

He chuckled again. "I'd almost like to see what you being infatuated looks like."

I couldn't help myself. "You have many times. Only with you, it was authentic."

He sucked in a quick breath between his teeth and shook his head. "Let's not get started down that path talking about us. It never ends well."

"No, it doesn't." I lifted my beer mug to my lips and took a long drink. "Tell me something, D."

"Anything." He licked at his lips and turned his head a little, watching me with a preditorial glare that left my nipples budding, my stomach tightening with pleasure.

"Why did we tuck your brother away? I miss him." I set the beer down and reached for my napkin.

"I do too." He crossed his arms over his thick chest and relaxed back into his seat. "He killed Zach Kallup, all those years ago, not me. I knew that the Kallups would come after him. He was unprotected for the most part."

"And nothing else?" I gave him a knowing look.

"He hated this life." D ran his fingers through his hair and reached for his beer. "He wanted a wife and kids, to own a gym and walk around town without the fear of having someone gun him down. So after he shot Zach, I figured it was time to get him out."

"I see." I tried to relax, and most likely appeared like I was, but being so close to D unnerved me. It always had.

"And no, your father still isn't aware of us helping him. He would kill us both." His hands dropped into his lap as he sighed. "It's the only time I've lied to your father. It'll never happen again, nor had it happened before, but I had to get my brother out of here."

"I get it. If I could get Freddy out safely, I would." I stood up and lifted my arms toward the ceiling. D's eyes moved down the length of my body just before he dragged his napkin into his lap. I stifled a smirk.

It was nice to know I wasn't the only one turned on.

"Even with him possibly being the one behind your mother's death?"

"Her rape and murder." I shifted a little and pinned him with a hard stare. Momma hadn't passed in her sleep or had a heart attack and not made it to the hospital. My beautiful mother was pulled into a dark alley and viciously attacked. I couldn't get the image of what that must have looked like, how it might have felt from my mind. It kept my anger stoked, my rage ready for the moment I would need it.

"Everything is pointing to Freddy, Izzy. You know that."

"I do." I reached for my beer. "But I also know my little brother, and he isn't capable of this. Not even on his best day. He's not together enough to pull off something like this. Someone else called that hit on momma. It wasn't Freddy."

"How do you know that?" His tone shifted a little. I wasn't talking to the man who loved me anymore, but the Underboss of the Castaletta Syndicate.

"Call it a hunch." I winked at him. There was no way I was telling him about the tapes yet. I couldn't get them to work and needed to buy a new recorder, but I was going to be the judge and jury on Freddy's guilt, and anyone who thought differently could suck a dick. It wasn't happening.

"How did you know about Billy Turner?"

"I looked into Marcus this morning before the meeting. You know Daddy has eyes and ears everywhere. He has a few plants in the New Orleans Police Department. I just accessed the information. You've been a little preoccupied with trying to hold this crumbling organization together."

He stood and pursed his lips as if searching for the right words.

I helped him out. "Marcus is a long time thug with a record out the door, which you know. He's been working at Expulsion in the heart of New Orleans since it reopened under new management. I assume the woman who owns it is a close friend of his? Maybe a lover. Their names are both on the title, the deeds."

"And her name?"

"Kate Jarrett." I finished my beer and walked to the kitchen. "She's got quite the record too."

"Why does that name sound familiar?" His voice followed me.

"Not sure, but I'll catch you later. I'm having lunch with Marco." I paused at the door and glanced over my shoulder. "You good?"

"As good as I can be."

"Need me to be a little more authentic around you?" I smiled playfully.

"No, that would do me in for sure."

I nodded and turned, walking to my car with nothing more than my thoughts to accompany me.

*

"Are you shitting me right now? What are you waiting on?" Marco stood up from behind his desk and walked around to grip my shoulders. "Go get the tapes and bring them down here. I'll lock them up and get a recorder later. We'll play them back and see what the hell is going on."

"I haven't had time. It's been a little busy jumping from one thing to the other, and the last thing I wanted was for D or Daddy to know that I had them. Everyone is out to get Freddy, but us."

"Which is fucked up, by the way. We should be at the front of the line."

"Agreed." I pulled from his hold and turned to walk out of the office. "It was our mother that he had gunned down."

"Don't say that. Freddy would never do that to momma, Izzy. You know him. He's the softest, the most loving out of all of us. If Freddy called in the hit, then something forced him to. He would have given up his life for mom. Fuck, for any of us. Don't believe what you see just yet. Family means something to us... him included."

I nodded and walked down the hall toward the stairs. Marco was right, and yet I couldn't force the nagging feeling away that I was missing something huge. Something right in front of my face. My father wouldn't be happy with me, but I was going to go through my mother's small office to see what I could find. The only reason in the world to murder her, other than to send a message to my father, was to silence her. There were a million ways to get my dad's attention, but this one would lead to carnage and death. Someone had declared war, whether they meant to or not.

I gathered the tapes and the small recorder from a locked box under my bed and walked back down to Marco's office. He glanced up from pacing the floor in front of his desk.

"Do you think Jonathan can pull the red light tapes from the day mother died near the alley where they found her?"

"I think they would have already done that, but yeah, let me call him and see what he can do." I pulled my phone from my pocket and walked toward the large window across the office that opened up to the front of the house. Springtime had brought with it dark green grass and beautiful flowers all along the property. They made me think of my mother.

"Hey, baby. Where are you?" Jonathan's voice was oddly comforting.

"At my place. Do you, by chance, have time to pull the tapes from my mother's murder? I wanted to see them myself." I held my breath, not quite sure if he were
that
much into me. It hadn't been more than a week of us seeing each other. Good thing he was a lonely cop.

"Yeah, I can do that. Come by the station and we'll replay what we have on my computer. I helped a little with the case, so it's all good."

"Alright. We'll be there in fifteen minutes." I dropped the call and nodded to my brother, who was watching me closely. "He'll do it."

"Good. I'm almost scared for the poor bastard. You sounding sweet and caring is a little unnerving. No wonder he's already all in." He snorted and grabbed his keys as I popped him hard in the gut.

"Don't tell anyone there's another side of me."

"Never. I love my life too much."

*

The tapes were fuzzy, hard to make out with any clarity, but Jonathan walked us through the way they came up with the size and shape of the four men who assaulted my mother. It took every ounce of strength inside of me not to have an emotional breakdown as they pulled her into the darkness. I was grateful that the sound was off. Hell, I didn't know if those type of cameras had sound with them. Either way, I couldn't have handled hearing her scream.

"Those aren't the Kallups, Izzy." Marco glanced over at me. "Unless they have some new recruits that we haven't seen."

"No. It's not them." I got up and paced the floor a little, trying to think through who it might be. "What about Cooper? Do you think maybe he sent some of his guys from California?"

"Adam Cooper?" Jonathan stood up and moved in front of me. "We've been watching him for some time with the boys out in L.A., but he's incredibly slick."

I nodded and turned back to Marco. "Let's go. We need to keep searching."

"What can I do?" Jonathan reached out and gripped the side of my arm, pulling my attention back toward him. His dark green eyes were filled with compassion. I moved into his arms as I should have.

"Sweep the alley like someone who lost their mother in it would." I brushed my nose by his and let my expression relax a little. "Help me find out who took my mother from me, Jon."

He licked his lips and nodded. "Oh course, baby. I'll go out there today."

I moaned softly as his fingers sunk into my hair and his lips pressed against mine. Where there was little heat between us, the warmth of his goodness hadn't been missed on me.

"Hey. I'm still here. Shit." Marco walked out, and I turned my head, deepening the kiss.

"Stay with me tonight," Jonathan mumbled through our kisses as he pressed his hand against my lower back and trapped me to him.

"I can't, but soon." I licked at his mouth and locked gazes with him. "Soon. I promise."